Mail box attachment



Sept. 15, 1931.

S; PETERSEN MAIL BOX ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 24, 1930 Patented Sept. 15, 1931 'EJETEED STATES v SVEND PETERSEN, -01 ASKOV, MINNESOTA Mam Box ATTACHMENT Application mea February 24,1930. Serial No. 430,927.

This invention relatesto package racks,

and is intended particularly for use-with rural mail delivery boxes.

From the point of view of this applicant, there is a need for a rack of the character herein described for thereason that, as he understands and believes, the United States Post Oflice Department has recently made a ruling that parcels for delivery along. rural Z0 routes, which parcels are too large to go inside of the boxes ordinarily provided must not be deposited upon the ground adjacent to the boxes and left there. It is common practice of the rural carriers at present, if the parcel is too large to be introduced into the mail box to hang or place it upon the mail box. But, if for any reason that disposition of the parcel or package is considered inadvisable and if that cannot be done, then the carrier must leave a notice in the box notifying the owner of the box to meet him at the box the followin day or next delivery. The carrier must t ien take the parcel back to the post ofiice, and bring it out again along the route on the next delivery or following day. According to the present invention, all this additional labor,

time and inconvenience'to the carrier is avoided, and the parcel reaches the person addressed quicker, with less liability of loss and the service is thus greatly improved.

This invention is intended to be placed upon and supported by a rural mail box, and has for its object to construct a supplementary holder or rack of the nature stated comprising mutually connected strips of suitable metal, and having parts of special construction and arrangement whereby an inexpensive, serviceable and strong rack for the purthe same'nuinber is used to refer to the same part, and the terms by which the different parts are mentioned are only used forthe explanation of the invention as herein set forth.

Considering the drawings, there is shown an attaching frame composed of two mem bers 1 and 2 of inverted U-shape, and having vertical sides. The members are spaced apart at a proper distance, and the corresponding sides of the respective members a are connected by the plates 8 and 4. Each of the plates has its edges, such as the edges 5 and 6 of the plate 3 turned over outwardly and back upon the plate, providing,in effect, a cord or name plate carrier. If necessary postal cards or letters in envelopes may be placed in the plates.

The lower ends of the legs of the members 1 and'Q arebent at right angles and joined by the strips 7 and 8.. It is within the purview and intent of this invention to necessary, leaving the inverted U-shaped members open at the bottom.

The extremities of the'attaching members are extended outwardly and'upwardly to provide inclined bracing strips 9 and 10," connected at their upper ends by supporting strips 11 and 12 which extend across the webs of the members 1 and 2 and form part of a parcel supporting frame.

The parcel supporting frame is further omit the parts or strips 7 and 8 if found constituted by'the connecting strips 13 and 14, the ends ofthe strips 11 and 12 being bent to engage the inclined brace members 9 and 10, and the several members being secured together at their points of engagement by suitable fasten-inglmeans. In the arrangement shown, the strips '13 and 14 lie in an inclined position, affording stops for preventing parcels accidently slipping over the ends of the strips-l1 and 12. 7

In the construction of the supplementary holder or rack, strips of material of any preferred widtlrand thicknessmay be employed and rivets, bolts, spotwelding or any other means may be employed for uniting the strips to form a rigid and substantial construction. A chain or other flexible memtening mea-ns. It zis thus evident thatH-the rack constitutes a holder supplemental ito ber 15 may be secured to the medial portion of the strip 13 and is of such length as to pass over a parcel indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1 and through an opening in the otherstrip 14:, the chain being held in ad justed position by headed pin 16 or the like passed through, the chain links, or a hook (not shown) seeur'edto strip .;14 for:a like purpose.

- In use, the supplementary holder is applied to the conventionalmformrofnnaililaoxt and for that purpose the members 1 and 2 are shaped in conformity therewith? The length of the supplementary holderin the direction of the strips"13and'14inay 'ap proximately K correspond with,,.the over-all: length. ofathe mailbox towhich it is to be applied l -or, if preferred, "it may extend throughout onlya part: of the length lofthe box. The flanges 5 and (5 may be used for-the retention of cards containingnotices or identification: data, and when the dev ice is.placed in. position, :it is firmly. held: in

' place Withthe supportingptrips,11- and 12 '7 above and transversely of the mail box in position to supportparcels, :packagesof pa? 1 Asia ineans ofassuring per and thelike. V against the accidentaldisplacement of. par-- eels" so placed the chain isrpreferablyi passedover the parcel, and secured'in position by the pin l6.'or any other suitable fas the conventional mail: box, Jwhich nlay be conveniently employed the mail carrier.

inithe delivery of articles of such shape and 5 size, asto prevent their insertion intheinail. i

box. hAside'from the increased convenience.

45. A supplementary mail holder for mail *bdxeveom-prising an attaching frame embodying inverted U-shaped members for disposition" in straddln'ig relation to a mail box,

and -a parcel supporting frame :disposed directly\ above and :supported bysaid. menu-- be rs, the legs of saidnmembersxbeing extended toprovidelateral -suppqrts for said suppqrtii'ig. frame, and.straps spanning: and, 8

detachably secured [toatheelegssof said U- shaped; members at their lower ends.)

In testimonyi vhereof I affix-my signature. r

SVEND .PETERSENQ to the mail carrier, the device eliminates the 1 delay Which occurs incident to the necessity I of the carrierbeing unablegto leave the par cel at the location-of the box and the-return of such parceltothe post office. j What I claimisi 1. A supplementary-mail holder. fonmailboxes including an attaching'frame provided With box embracingmembers and a parcel:

supporting frame supported the attachlng frame, the supporting frame being-disposed in a position above a boxtowhichthe attaching frameiis applied, said supporting;

frame being connected With the embracing members and retaining thelatterin spaced relationg said attaching frame including.

members connecting the embrae'ing mem- I bers,andhavmgthe edges thereof turned 2. A supplementary 'lmail holder for mail boxes including an:- a-ttaching ,framelipro'z- Vided with box embracing;members,---and a parcel supporting -frame supported by -the attaching frame,-the supporting frame-being disposed in a position above a .box to 1 which theattaching frame is applied,'a flexible re-z taining member attached I at one 'point 10f- 

